Trying to find a way to live on jam and pickles alone. And probably putting them in a cocktail.

Twenty Twelve

I’ve been searching to find a word to describe 2011. It was a strange year. It was a difficult year. Mentally, its been “Don’t let the door hit you on the ass on the way out, 2011” but I don’t know if its something I can admit to publicly. Even though I sort of just did. Still – there were good things. Great things. Most of them revolved around the Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market. Kate Payne came to visit and I got to meet Kaela in person. I grew beans, chard, and onions for the first time, and though the garden met an early end (thanks Irene!) it was still fairly productive all things considered. We CSAed. There was (no-knead) bread – from naan pan fried on the stove to a boule baked in a dutch oven. I tried out the whole small business jam thing for the first time. And, lest I forget, I have a roof over my head and can pay all of my bills. At the moment.

Yet, 2011 was rough. Three vastly different jobs and loads of financial-induced stress, two natural disasters and we can’t forget about flying squirrels invading our roof. My dad had a pretty serious heart attack in May. Our furnace died a quiet death on a cold December morning. The power lines to our house are sagging once again as a big branch came down on them in last week’s storm. I’ve been struggling with the blog too – my drafts folder is overflowing yet I have trouble saying what I really want to say.

But that’s the best part about this time of year, isn’t it. You can take stock, relax and reflect with a cup of tea. Let the bad parts of the year fade from memory while you dream of all that is in store for the next 365 days. Or in the case of 2012, 366 days. Does anyone do resolutions anymore? I’ve never been a fan of the standard eat better, exercise more stuff. I’m more of a goal setting person. Like one giant To Do list. Maybe it also has something to do with semi-compulsive list-making. Hm…

Anyway, starting 2012 right with tea and a greek yogurt/clementine curd/cranberry/pepita concoction. And jotting down a few priorities for the next year. Because I am all about looking back in 2013 and checking things off my list.

Garden Resolutions Grow more beans and figure out how to dry them for winter storage – this did NOT happen in 2011. Get better fertilizer, too. Grow less tomatoes and more herbs. Hopefully a lot of this changes when we move into a new place, because the tiny poolside container garden is getting old.

Home Resolutions Start saving for a house. So many dreams are on hold until we have our own place. I have plans for an orchard, a real garden with raised beds, a beehive or two… Hopefully with a savings account, this can be the year to get (half?) of our downpayment saved. If we do move, I need to downsize things before we get there, because moving last time was a huge pain.

Health Resolutions Eat more fish. Maybe start taking fish oil? And more meatless meals. Try to find time to walk at least a half hour a day.

Kitchen Resolutions No more excuses – go get the pressure canner gauge calibrated and start the pressure canning. Make more cheese and yogurt. And bread, and pasta, and condiments.

So here’s to all the good things 2012 has in store. And here’s to making those good things happen.

Post navigation

7 thoughts on “Twenty Twelve”

I totally hear you about how rough 2011 was. Your goals/resolutions sound great. I, too, would love to make more cheese. A group of us got together to make mozzarella and ricotta, and I’d like to repeat that in my own home, and also graduate up to chevre and beyond. Do you have any suggestions or tips for a budding cheesemaker? I have access to raw milk (cow and goat), which is exciting for my cheesemaking dreams.

Meg, I’ve had my eye on New England Cheesemaking Supply kits for a long time: http://www.cheesemaking.com/store/c/1-Kits.html And I might try to sneak up there for a class sometime. If you host a party, let me know and I might be able to come into the city – definitely a project where you need many hands!

Kate, I just wanted to update you on my cheesemaking kit purchase – I ended up buying the deluxe kit from Urban Cheesecraft. Brooklyn Kitchen had them, so I went for it. The supplies inside make 30 batches, including cheeses like mozzarella, queso blanco, and chevre. I plan to make cheese this weekend. Once I get familiar with the process and the ingredients/tools, I’ll contact you – would love to meet up and make cheese together if you are still game! Feel free to email me privately, too, if you want to talk more.